Snape's Worst Fear
by alwaysimagined
Summary: Remus is feeling rather bitter about Severus shooting down his attempts at friendship. So, in an act of anger, he teams up with Sirius to make Snape pay. Unfortunately, the prank turns out worse than he ever expected.
1. Anger and Plotting

Ever since Remus had been re-hired, it seemed that Severus was always in a bad mood. Although Remus was never anything but courteous to the man, all he ever got from him was harsh words and a sneer. Day in and day out that was all he got. He was beginning to think that no matter how much he apologized to the man for their school days, there was just no hope of Severus forgiving him.

After four months of this, Remus decided to take his problem to Sirius. Not the wisest decision he'd made in his lifetime, but he had no one else to turn to.

" I don't understand why you're so worked up about this, Remus," Sirius criticized, "After all he's just a greasy git."

Remus replied awkwardly," I know, I know… It's just, I feel sort of… bad, y'know?"

Sirius snorted. "For what?"

"Well, y'know, for the way we treated him during our school years."

Once again, Sirius snorted. " He deserved it. The git. Either way, Remus, if you still feel guilty, answer me this. Have you not apologized? Have you not been kind to the man? I know you, you have. And yet, how does he repay you? By sneering at you and talking to you like you're the scum beneath his boot!"

Remus was beginning to feel riled up. Sirius was right! Severus had been a jerk!

"If you ask me, Moony, we need to get Snape back! And I've got the perfect plan!"

"Okay, Padfoot, I'm in! What's the plan?"

"Boggart!"

'Huh', thought Remus, 'What's he talking about?'

"Think about it Moony, what's Snape's biggest thing? Emotions! He prides himself on his ability to control his feelings. A boggart will portray his worst fear! All of his control will be gone as he's pinned up to wall in sheer terror! Not only that, but we'll bring a camera, magical of course so it will move, and make sure every person in the school gets a copy! Imagine his shame when everyone in the school sees the scary, intimidating Potions Master completely petrified and maybe even crying like a baby!"

Immediately Remus yelled "Okay Padfoot, let's do it!!!"

Had Remus been thinking clearly, and not following the influence of an adrenaline rush, he would have realized what a cruel and horrible idea it was. Unfortunately he wasn't, and so the plan was set!


	2. The Door Opens

Crouched behind a rather large curtain, Sirius and Remus eagerly awaited Snape's arrival. They were at Order headquarters hiding in one of the many spare rooms. It was two weeks after they had made plans to get back at Snape, and they were as anxious as a first-year at the sorting feast. When they had approached Dumbledore, he had been a little hesitant about granting them the boggart. However, they had assured him that it was for a completely noble cause, and Dumbledore, in his usual optimistic attitude, had given it to them. Surprisingly, getting Snape to open the closet had been much easier than expected.

Both of them had come to Molly and complained about an incredibly dirty closet in an empty room. With remarkable ease they had then manipulated her into thinking that Snape hadn't done a single thing cleaning wise and therefore needed to be the one to clean the closet. Molly had fallen for it hook, line, and sinker. Snape had barely been halfway through the door when Molly rounded on him. Yells and shouts could be heard from the cellar for a good three hours. Eventually, however, raising several children paid off and Snape lost the small battle.

Suddenly the door creaked open. In strode Snape with all his usual robe-billowing glory. Faintly they could hear him muttering 'insufferable woman" and "bloody Gryffindors."

" Hey, Sirius, what do you think his boggart is going to be?"

"I dunno", he replied, "Probably some sissy thing like James making fun of him."

It was that thought that made Remus remember how he'd gotten into this situation in the first place. He had come to Sirius because he'd been feeling guilty about how he'd treated Snape in the past. That sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that told him he was making a big mistake was making itself unbelievably known. Right when he was going to jump out and stop Snape, it happened. It was too late. Snape had opened the door.

Thanks SO much for the reviews. It's great to get reviews so early on! Especially since this is my first story (posted). Anyway, I didn't plan on posting again so soon, but, unfortunately, I am going away for about a week. I know what you're thinking, UGH, THAT EVIL BEING, HOW COULD SHE LEAVE!!!!!!!!!!! AND WITH A CLIFFHANGER TOO! Grrrrrrrr… But please, don't blame the author for a school break. Okay. Toodles! I'll finish up the first chapter while I'm away.


	3. The Boggart Takes Shape

"Severus, no!" Remus screamed as he jumped out from behind the couch. Doing this, revealed Sirius, who looked incredibly irked.

"What… What are you two doing here?!" Snape spat.

"Snape," instructed Remus, " whatever you do, don't look at that wardrobe."

Sirius glared at Remus. How this was possible, seeing as Lupin was standing right next to the wardrobe and Sirius was averting his gaze from said wardrobe, Remus had no idea. But that was another matter entirely.

"What?" Snape questioned suspiciously, "What's going on?"

Unfortunately, during his questioning Snape, curious little bugger that he was, turned around. Towards the wardrobe.

It took a few seconds for the boggart to respond. However, when it did, it was definitely not what Remus expected. A large, burly man stepped out. The man had a horribly hooked-nose and beady little eyes. Not Snape's eyes, no, Snape's eyes were dark. They told stories and sent shivers up your spine. This man's eyes filled you with dread and sent you a message that seemed to say 'No matter what happens here, _someone_ will get hurt.' Lupin hated the man. He didn't even know him, and yet he loathed him.

While we are on the subject of eyes, Snape's were about the size of dinner plates. Remus hadn't thought it possible for the man to get any paler, but he was wrong. Here Severus sat, looking as though he had not _seen_ a particularly nasty ghost (say Chainsaw Chuck, for example). No, Severus looked more like he _was_ the ghost. Beads of sweat had begun to lace the potions master's entire face. Also, just faintly, Lupin could swear he heard Severus's teeth chattering.

"Sirius, get out! Now!" Remus hollered .

"What?" responded Sirius, " No way, man, it's just getting good!"

"Sirius, GET OUT!"

To further prove his point, Remus walked over, grabbed Sirius by the scruff of his shirt, and threw him out of the room.

When Remus turned back around, Severus was on the floor sputtering nonsense. The man stood over him; berating Snape with words so harsh Lupin could feel his own eyes watering over.

"You freak!" the man screamed, " you worthless piece of shit! I can't believe my family's good name has been wasted on the likes of you! You, no good bastard! You like that magic bullcrap? I'll show you something that will rock you're world even more!"

With that, the man reared back and slugged Severus in the face. Remus noted that the man had a slightly slurred voice, like he had been drinking. When Snape hit the floor, Remus thought it was over. He was wrong. Bending down, the beady-eyed devil grabbed Snape by the collar, so that he was inches away from Snape's lips. With amazing brutality, the man forced Severus's pale lips onto his own. Tears were now streaming down poor Severus's face. Using his free hand, the man reached down and yanked Severus's crouch. Snape looked more panicked and helpless than Lupin had ever seen him before. A whimper escaped Snape's trapped lips. Suddenly, and without any warning, the man disappeared. In his place, stood a woman.

The woman resembled Snape greatly. Lupin wondered if they were related. Their lank hair and wiry frame were eerily similar. However, these thoughts were rather subconscious, distracted by the scene unfolding before him.

While holding a wand in a menacing manner, the woman screeched at Severus in extremely high octaves.

"Can't you get _anything_ right?" , the woman howled like a banshee, " I've taught you the difference between a hex and a jinx a thousand times! Good GOD! Do you need to be taught another lesson?"

Without waiting for an answer, the demon lady cried "CRUCIO!"

Remus couldn't watch any longer. He threw himself at the boggart without thinking. Automatically, the boggart changed from the woman to a crème-colored moon. Although beautiful, the moon _terrified_ Lupin. Really, though, Remus knew he could not hold a candle towards Severus's current terror.

Snape was sitting on the floor with his knees hugging his chest. Slowly he rocked. Back and forth. Back and forth. Over and over. Tear streaks marked the man's face; his eyes were as red as chili peppers and as puffy as fresh cotton. Of course, this is what Remus thought he saw. It was hard to tell. The very moment Severus had noticed Lupin staring at him, he had turned away. Leaving nothing but an extremely obscure outline.

The wonderings of earlier came back to Remus with the force and speed of a subway train. Only this time, there were even more. Lupin wondered if the two people had just seen were Severus's _parents_. What kind of monsters would treat their kids like that? Not to mention what that, ugh, **man** did. Also, he wondered if this was the reason Severus had such long air. So, that he could hide his face when vulnerable. Most of all, he wondered what sort of horrible person he, Moony, must be to have even _thought_ of doing such a thing, let alone actually do it. Without even thinking of the consequences, too! Good Lord, he was such an** idiot**! BUGGER!

Slowly, Lupin inched towards Snape. He just almost reached out and touched him, but at the last millisecond thought better of it.

Instead, he simply sighed and turned his head toward Severus.

"So, um," , Lupin stammered, " wh-who were those, uh, p-people?"

Snape sighed. It was a long, sorrowful sigh, and to be honest it was the single-most saddest sound Lupin had ever heard in his entire life. After the sigh, Severus stood up and took several, painstaking steps towards the door. Once he reached said door, he sighed again, and turned back to Remus. Taking a deep breath, he whispered (in a voice so low that made it so Remus could hear him, but just barely) "My parents."

Not even a second passed before Snape pivoted back around and walked through the doorframe, slamming the door behind him. Mere moments later, Lupin could hear Sirius's questioning and, in return Severus's response of " Sod off, Black." Afterwards, he listened to the sound of the large front door slinging shut, sending echoes all throughout the house.

Remus exhaled a breathe hadn't even known he was holding. Lupin wondered if there was even the slightest chance of Severus forgiving him now. He sighed again.

Out of all the wonderings this day had brought him, Remus emerged knowing only one thing for sure. And that was the disappointing knowledge that told him he had never felt like a bigger piece of idiotic shit then he did right now. However, as he sat there, he slowly made up his mind. He told himself that no matter what happened he_ was_ going to forge a friendship with Snape.

It was this thought that sent Moony, in a determined manner, over to Hogwarts and down the steeping staircases. He was heading towards the dungeon.


End file.
